What is Meridian 59?
Meridian 59 was one of the first commercial 3D graphical online RPGs. Released in September 1996, Meridian 59 was one of the first games in the new era of graphical online games. Using a proprietary graphics engine similar to id Softwares DOOM engine, the architecture of the world was rendered in 3D with sprite-based objects within the world. Meridian 59 remains one of the best PvP (player vs. player) and social games even today. Thousands of the games players agree that the balance in PvP combat has not been matched by subsequent games, and that the communication tools are still the most developed in any graphical game. Many important aspects of todays online RPGs, such as customizable chat groups; buying, defending, and conquering player owned buildings; and player selection of guild emblems were an early part of Meridian 59.
